I am a behavioral ecologist whose studies focus on the evolution of sociality in spiders. My recent research has explored behavioral, physiological, and phylogenetic aspects of sociality in huntsman spiders (Sparassidae). To better understand what behavioral and physiological lead to the evolution of group-living in otherwise cannibalistic spiders, I have compared the early mother-offspring behavior, life-history, running speed, morphology, and some aspects of physiology of 42 social and solitary huntsman species from Australia, SE Asia, and Africa. Huntsman spiders are a large, understudied family that are notable for their large size, speed, and the presence of a small number of species that I have termed ‘prolonged subsocial’ whose social organization and physiology are exceedingly unusual compared to other social spiders (Yip & Rayor 2014). The prolonged subsocial species have a single adult female in the group, but instead of her offspring remaining with her for a few weeks as in most subsocial spiders, the prolonged subsocial species remain in an interactive family group with multiple clutches for 6 months to 1-year. When I started research in this group, there was only a single prolonged subsocial species, Delena cancerides. I have now discovered prolonged subsociality in four additional huntsman species! My research has focused on the diverse Australian huntsman fauna.
Since 1998, I have directed the Naturalist Outreach Program to send Cornell University students into classrooms throughout Central NY to talk about nature, ecology, and biodiversity [http://blogs.cornell.edu/naturalistoutreach. I believe that directly training college students how to do effective science communication and teaching skills greatly benefits is hugely beneficial, and that science outreach is a form of civic activism for scientists. Many of my invited seminars share how to start similar outreach programs at other colleges or institutions.
Selected Publications:
Gorneau*, J.A., C.A. Rheims, C. Moreau, & LS Rayor 2022. Huntsman spider phylogeny informs evolution of life-history, egg sacs, and morphology. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (in press).
Hurst*, J.A. & L.S. Rayor. 2021. Effects on running speed of changes in sexual size dimorphism at maturity on the cursorial huntsman spider, Delena cancerides (Sparassidae). Journal of Comparative Physiology A. 207: 269 – 277. (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-021-01469-3). Special Issue on Locomotion and Kinematics in Arthropods.
Jones*, C. & L.S. Rayor, 2017. Retreat availability and social influences on retreat sharing in group-living huntsman spiders, Delena lapidicola and Delena cancerides (Araneae: Sparassidae). Journal of Arachnology 45(03): 271-276.
Yip, E.C. & L.S. Rayor. 2014. Maternal care and subsocial behavior in spiders. Biological Reviews. 89: 427–449. (doi: 10.1111/brv.12060)
Agnarsson, I. & L.S. Rayor, 2013. Molecular phylogeny reveals the evolutionary patterns of sociality in Australian endemic Deleninae huntsman spiders (Sparassidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 69: 895–905.
Rayor, L.S. 2016. Hidden housemates: Australia’s huge and hairy huntsman spiders. The Conversation.
https://theconversation.com/hidden-housemates-australias-huge-and-hairy-huntsman-spiders-55017
Yip, E.C. & L.S. Rayor. 2013. The influence of siblings on body condition in a social spider: Is prey sharing cooperation or competition? Animal Behaviour. 85:1161-1168
Yip, E.C., D.M. Rowell, & L.S. Rayor. 2012. Behavioural and molecular evidence for selective immigration and group regulation in the social huntsman spider, Delena cancerides (Araneae: Sparassidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 106: 749–762.
Rayor, L.S. & Taylor, L*. 2006. Social behavior in amblypygids, and a reassessment of arachnid social patterns. Journal of Arachnology 34: 399-421.
Rayor, L.S. & G.W. Uetz, 1993. Ontogenetic shifts within the selfish herd: predation risk and foraging tradeoffs change with age in colonial web-building spiders. Oecologia 95:1-8.
